The World Trade Organization hosted its
annual public symposium from 20 to 22 April 2005. Participants from
governments, parliaments, civil society, the business sector, academia
and the media were invited to analyse and reflect upon these past ten
years and discuss the challenges the organization faces into the
future.

This year's event coincided with the 10th Anniversary of the WTO. Participants from
governments, parliaments, civil society, the business sector, academia
and the media were invited to analyse and reflect upon these past ten
years and discuss the challenges the organization faces into the future.

“Over the years, the WTO Public Symposium has proven to be an extremely
useful platform for dialogue and reflection among all stakeholders of
the multilateral trading system. The objective of the public symposium
in 2005, a year that marks the 10th Anniversary of the WTO, is to have a
stimulating public debate on where we are and what is expected from the
WTO and its Member governments” said WTO Director-General Dr. Supachai
Panitchpakdi. “There have been important achievements in the
multilateral trading system over the last decade but a number of
challenges remain ahead of us, including completion of the Doha
Development Agenda negotiations, which require active input and support
from all of our stakeholders. I therefore hope that an honest and
thorough assessment of our first ten years and our hopes for the future,
will contribute to building political support for the DDA and the
multilateral trading system. I invite participants at the public
symposium to share with us their thoughts and ideas on future
directions”, he said.

The 2005 symposium took place at the WTO's headquarters in Geneva
and featured dedicated high-level work sessions on the WTO's
economic, legal and institutional functions, as well as work sessions on
key subjects being negotiated in the Doha Round. The report of the
Director-General's Consultative Board “The
Future of the
WTO — Addressing institutional challenges in the new millennium” served as an interesting basis for discussion. Other
topics included trade and development, non-agricultural market access and
trade and environment. As was the case during previous symposia, much
time was set aside for governments, civil society and
parliamentarians to organize their own events during the symposium.